A frequent problem in the chemical industry is deposition of insoluble materials onto equipment handling reactant and product streams. One area where this problem is manifested is in solvent recovery units. Fouling of reboilers and trays of distillation columns occurs due to precipitation of fouling agents. Fouling or deposition during solvent recovery causes flow and temperature control problems, both of which reduce the efficiency of the solvent recovery process and increase maintenance costs of the unit.
Sometimes fouling can be partially ameliorated by adding a polymerization inhibitor to inhibit polymerization of unsaturated moieties, such as 1,3-butadiene or isoprene. However, polymerization inhibitors usually do not stop all of the polymerization, and therefore do not stop all of the fouling by these agents. Plus, the feed to a solvent distillation column may already contain polymer, which precipitates and fouls the heat exchangers and trays of the distillation tower.
Methods of treating streams are needed which effectively prevent or resolve fouling of the equipment used to handle fouling agents.